Utica, NY (January 24, 2014) – The Utica College women's basketball team led 39-38 with 16:42 left in the game, but visiting Hartwick College answered with a 22-10 run in the next 12:39 to pull away from the Pioneers en route to earning a 72-58 victory in Empire 8 Conference action Friday night at the Clark Athletic Center. The Hawks remain undefeated in Empire 8 play this season (7-0) and improved to 14-3 overall after the victory.

Utica's Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) tied her season-high with 14 points, while sophomore Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) added 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Pioneers (5-11, 0-7 Empire 8).

Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) added ten points and four rebounds for Utica, while freshman Kelsey Cowell (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) and senior Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) combined for 17 points in the loss.

Hartwick was led by 18 points and 10 rebounds from Brittney Dumas, while Maria Foglia added a game-high 19 points.  Kait Veit came off the bench and chipped in with 17 points for the Hawks.

Hartwick shot 26-of-52 (50%) from the floor on the afternoon and knocked down 13-of-24 3-pointers in the victory.

Utica opened the game on a 23-17 run in the first 12:19 of the contest to earn its largest lead of the game midway through the first half. Miceli led the Pioneers' initial surge with seven points, while Traglia and Cowell combined for 11 points in the early push.

Hartwick answered on a 19-7 run in the final 6:47 of the first half to take a 36-30 lead into the locker room at the half.  Maria Foglia led the push before the half with eight points, while Dumas added five points in the stretch.

UC opened the second half on a 9-2 run in a span of 3:52 to take the lead back, 39-38, but that proved to be the Pioneers final lead of the contest. A 20-7 run in a stretch of 7:01 late in the contest sealed the victory for the visitors.

Veit's 14 points in the final 6:43 of the game helped spark Hartwick's late run as the Hawks came away with the 14 point win.

Utica's Kelsey Cowell (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) finished the night with nine points and Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) added eight for the Pioneers.  Junior Marissa Kahane (Sayville, NY/Sayville) netted five points off the bench for the Pioneers.

UC will remain at home on Saturday when it hosts Stevens Institute of Technology in a conference contest that is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at the Clark Athletic Center.